Ready for Sea

After putting the steering wheel back on, which I had removed in order to do the gas supply work in the lazarette, I went through my pre-cruise check list.  Other than the short rides to and from the hardstand, the boat had not been out in the water since last year's Bunbury Cruise, so I could not take anything for granted.

I ticked off the following:

- Chart Plotter OK
- Radar OK
- AIS OK
- Trimble and Lowrance GPS's OK
- Autopilot OK
- Wind Speed Instrument OK
- Wind Direction Instrument OK
- Depth Sounder OK
- Engine levels OK (Topped up the coolant)
- Engine start and run (in gear, 1100 rpm to full temperature) OK
- VHF radio OK (Got radio check from station VN6DI)
- Navigation Laptop charge from boat's 12V OK
- USB Hub (which allows 2 GPS's to be connected to 1 laptop USB port) OK
- GPS antennas for laptop OK
- Marine Plotter and OpenCPN laptop navigation software OK
- Marine Stove OK
- Refrigerator OK
- Marine Head OK
- All winches clean, lubricated, and OK
- Diesel fuel tanks full and OK
- Water tanks full and OK

I'll check the HF radio during the cruise.  I will not be using the Pactor III modem.

I won't be certain about the headsail and mainsail until I deploy them, but they are both in excellent condition and I expect no problem from them or their lines.

Today I brought two items of equipment up to date.

My flares were years out of date so I purchased a standard pack of 2 orange smoke and 2 red parachute rocket flares at a cost of $110.

The 406 MHz EPIRB beacon that I had purchase in New Zealand seemingly a lifetime ago expires this very month, so for $309 I purchased an Australian made Safety Alert model SA1G EPIRB, which boasts a battery life of 10 years, GPS accuracy of 3 meters and a transmit time of at least 3 days. 

All major boat systems seem the be OK (I write while knocking hard on the wooden desktop!) and I declare the good ship Pachuca ready for sea.

Assembling the New Dinghy

On Tuesday I spent about 2 hours wrestling with the new inflatable dinghy trying to assemble it on the foredeck.  In the end I had to give up on my goal of a complete assembly due to the short space between the life raft and inner forestay, the heavily curved deck, and worst of all, those two bollards along the center of the deck.  I managed to fit floor sections 1 and 2 at the forward of the dinghy and  sections 3 and 4 at the aft end, but could not come even close to lining up sections 2 and 3 so that I could snap them into place. 

I do not want to sail long distances with the assembled dinghy either on deck or towed behind the boat, so my plan is to assemble the dinghy on deck with only sections 3 and 4 of the aluminum floor.  This will be enough to support me on a ride to shore, where I will the fit sections 1 and 2.  With the dinghy fully assembled I'll then return to the boat to pick up Brenda and whoever else may be sailing with me.

In the forthcoming cruise we won't need the dinghy until we reach Koombana Bay, Bunbury.  I'll then assemble the dinghy and we'll tow it around the short distances of Geographe Bay.  Then on our second visit to Koombana Bay I'll ship the dinghy, break it down, and stow it for the long sail to the marina at Mandurah.

If this plan works the reward will be a large dinghy with a super strong aluminum floor, capable of getting us to our destinations with dry bottoms, dry cargo, end even dry feet.  ... IF!

Galley and Plank Finished

A few days ago Paul delivered the lids of the refrigerator and icebox which he had covered with stainless steel.  He did a fine job and fit is very good.  Note that the s/s surfaces fit into a rim of wood, which I plan to sand and varnish before the end of summer.

Note the s/s barrier in front of stove

Square tube barrier between sink and fridge

I had earlier picked up the s/s barrier made by Bret Snedden of Custom Sheet Metal in Midvale, the same man who had produced the counter top sheeting.  Bret made the barrier from 20mm square tubing and the length was to within 0.5 mm length of my specification and the fit was perfect.  The barrier prevents water from running from the sink area across to the refrigerator compartment.  Two days ago I bedded the barrier onto silicone sealant and screwed it down with two s/s pan head screws.

Boarding Plank

I also tried out the new boarding plank and it has been a big success.  The beauty of the system is that it uses the aluminum boarding ladder that was made for Pachuca in Port Townsend, USA.  Whenever we are cruising and want to go over the side for either a swim or to board the inflatable tender, I'll simply undo the ropes holding the wood plank (of 18mm marine ply) to the ladder and stow it away.  I'll also remove the two bolts holding the piece of timber at the curved end of the ladder and stow that piece too. 

The photo of the plank was taken at moderately high tide, but the plank comes into its own when the 1-meter tide is low, lowering the boat to the point where even I have trouble getting on and off.  At such times the ladder will be at a steep angle of perhaps 30 degrees.

The plank will be fixed at the boat end and slide over the jetty as the boat moves around.